Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Girls' tennis Southern Wayne 5, W. Country Day 4 * Southern Wayne captured two points in doubles play and held off Wayne Country Day on Monday afternoon. Taylor Parker, Michala Best and Taylor Davis each earned a singles victory for...

MOUNT OLIVE -- Injuries have taken a small toll on the Mount Olive College men's soccer team in preseason practices, but head coach Jerry Riggs is optimistic about the 2010 campaign. The Trojans return 15 lettermen off last year's squad...

SEVEN SPRINGS-- Spring Creek started hot. Then cooled off. And eventually rallied for a 3-3 draw. The Gators scored two goals in the first 15 minutes of their non-conference soccer game against James Kenan on Monday afternoon. The Tigers came...

Monday, August 30, 2010

Randy Pinkowski missed his calling as a politician. The Charles B. Aycock head coach lobbied his support for third-year Rosewood head football coach Robert Britt on Friday evening. "Hats off to Robert Britt," said Pinkowski after the Golden Falcons' 39-10...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

ROBBINS -- Princeton unleashed a passing attack reminiscent of last season and bested North Moore 41-21 on Friday night. The Dawgs totaled 190 yards through the air and found balance in the running game with 203 rushing yards. After spotting...

KENLY -- North Lenoir never got its offense on track in a 50-0 defeat against North Johnston on Friday evening. The Hawks fumbled the ball six times and lost three of those mistakes as they found the sledding particularly tough...

WILSON -- Tyson Pearson accounted for Wayne Country's Day lone goal in an 8-1 loss to Clinton during The Brittany VI contested at the Gillette Athletic Complex. Pearson received the team's sportsmanship award after the match. The senior striker has...

WILSON -- Wayne Christian dominated possession in the opening half, but lost momentum when Gregory Alexander exited the game. Alexander suffered a possible concussion during second-half action. Eagles head coach Daryl Anderson said Alexander returned to the contest, but was...

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College, which returns just two starters off last year's team, is predicted to finish fourth in the 2010 Conference Carolinas women's volleyball preseason poll. The Trojans triumphed in 11 of their final 13 matches...

LAKEWOOD -- Lakewood jumped out to a 26-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 33-6, non-conference win over visiting North Duplin on Friday night. James Kornegay caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Kornegay in the third quarter for the...

GREENVILLE -- After college, most graduates scour the job market for the first position available. Some find what they seek, while others suffer through months of interviews, only to be passed over for various reasons. In Jesse Lancaster's case, the...

TRENTON -- James Kenan overcame an early first-half deficit and rolled past Jones Senior, 26-8, on Friday night. The Trojans took an 8-6 lead in the second quarter when Nihkee Jones dove into the end zone from one-yard out. The...

WINSTON-SALEM -- Perennial 2-A powerhouse Salisbury posted two shutouts in doubles and rolled past Greene Central at the Twin Cities Invitational on Friday afternoon. "Salisbury is without a double the best 2-A team in North Carolina this year, and they...

All Kyle Sasser could do was watch, pray and hope for a chance. Eastern Wayne's junior kicker watched nervously from the sidelines as the Warriors' offense went to work in overtime. Sasser was finally called upon and his 28-yard field...

Charles B. Aycock polished its offense a little bit Friday evening. There's still plenty of tarnish to remove. The Golden Falcons converted four of five second-half possessions into touchdowns and rolled to a 39-10, non-conference victory over Rosewood before a...

WILSON -- Juan Pina notched a career-best four goals and assisted on another as Charles B. Aycock hammered Rockingham County 7-1 during second-day action of The Brittany VI showcase. Pina converted three free kicks into goals and hit the back...

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne, for the second straight week, took a convincing early lead. The Saints, for the second straight time, suffered a loss. Wilson Beddingfield scored three times in the second half en route to a 17-13, non-conference win...

Friday, August 27, 2010

Pushed to the brink for three sets, Wayne Country Day closed the door when it mattered most. The Chargers finished strong in all three sets of a 25-18, 25-23, 25-20 non-conference victory at Goldsboro on Thursday. Goldsboro struggled to slow...

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College women's soccer team has been selected to finish sixth in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll, released Thursday morning. The Trojans collected 60 points and were just three points out of...

CHAPEL HILL -- It's not just a baseball game. It's a chance to turn heads. The invitation for the Impact Baseball Futures game, scheduled for Saturday at Boshamer Stadium on the UNC campus, is more than just an opportunity to...

DUDLEY -- Rosewood looked like a team in midseason form. Southern Wayne looked like a team playing its first match of the season. The Eagles controlled possession throughout a 25-14, 25-20, 25-14 win over the Saints on Thursday night. The...

DUDLEY -- Mollianne Kennedy executed an old-fashioned tennis strategy to near perfection on Thursday afternoon. The soft-spoken sophomore played a "backboard style" against Triton's Jennifer Byrd during their No. 5 singles match. The strategy paid dividends for Kennedy, who picked...

WILSON -- Four county teams hit the pitch either today or tomorrow morning for The Brittany VI -- a soccer showcase featuring some of North Carolina's top prep boys' programs. More than 50 teams will play 30 contests in less...

Volleyball Eastern Wayne 3, Spring Creek 2 * Tiffany Gussenhofen recorded eight service aces to go with five digs and two kills for the Warriors. Morgan Smith finished with five kills and two digs. Lura Hulse supplied four kills. Kelsey...

Ten of 11 teams in the News-Argus readership area share the same goal tonight -- erase the zero in the win column. No squad is probably more anxious to emerge victorious than Goldsboro, which opened its season with a 27-6...

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Goldsboro provided the competition. Tyson Pearson delivered the offense. Pearson scored three times and had an assist in Wayne Country Day's 5-1 non-conference win over the visiting Cougars on Wednesday afternoon. Pearson collected the ball past midfield, dribbled through the...

It is impossible to go undefeated with a loss in week one. Rosewood head coach Robert Britt does not expect his team to run the gauntlet this season, but at least the Eagles still have the opportunity. Just one of...

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College has been picked seventh in the 2010 Conference Carolinas preseason men's soccer poll, which was released Wednesday morning. The Trojans, who return six starters off last year's team, received 36 points...

Tennis Eastern Wayne 9, South Johnston 0 * WILSON -- Eastern Wayne did not give up a single point in three of its singles conquests en route to a 9-0 win at South Johnston on Wednesday. The match was the...

Kyle Busch's legend on the race track continues to grow. So does the number of his detractors and on-track rivals. Busch completed a historic sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway last week, becoming the first driver in NASCAR history to win...

WILSON -- Charles B. Aycock continues to rebuild. Fike has discovered its team chemistry. Three players notched one goal apiece and the Golden Demons rolled to a 3-0, non-conference victory at rain-soaked Bedgood Field on Wednesday evening. Fike snapped a...

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

PIKEVILLE -- Just nine days into the season, Charles B. Aycock is developing an identity on the volleyball court. Davis Harris likes it, so far. Aggressive, scrappy and consistent play enabled the Golden Falcons to turn back perennial 1-A power...

CALYPSO -- North Duplin focussed on eliminating mistakes and held off a second-set rally during its 25-13, 20-25, 25-19, 25-9 victory over county rival James Kenan on Tuesday night. The Rebels took advantage of several Tiger errors in the return...

Cross country Eagles finish third * Wayne Christian's Connor Jones was the first male runner to cross the finish line, and the Eagles' boys finished third overall during an eight-team meet on Tuesday at Waynesborough Park. Jones crossed the line...

KINSTON --Wells Gulledge doesn't boast about his accomplishments. The always-humble basketball coach is more than willing to let recognition come based on the merits of his career. Gulledge's latest accolade is enshrinement in the Mount Olive College Athletics Hall of...

Lesson learned. A stronger attitude. Self-motivation. Rosewood flashed those characteristics in a 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 triumph over North Johnston on the volleyball court Monday afternoon. The Eagles (2-1 overall) swept the regular-season series from the Panthers, who exited with an...

PIKEVILLE -- David West has accepted another challenge. This one doesn't involve sports, however. West completed his administrative degree this summer and resigned two weeks ago as varsity men's basketball coach at Charles B. Aycock. He began his new job...

Soccer Wayne Christian 3, Cresset 1 * Gregory Alexander notched two goals, while Jordan Crouthamel added one goal and an assist. Chase King recorded four saves for the Eagles, who won their Carolina Christian 1-A Conference opener. Wayne Christian (2-0-0...

WILSON -- Eastern Wayne moved the football, but could not find the end zone in a 29-0 loss to Wilson Hunt on Friday night. Eastern Wayne's defense kept the team in the ballgame until halftime by only allowing one Hunt...

VANCEBORO -- West Craven weathered an early offensive outburst by Southern Wayne and rallied for a 29-15 win over the Saints in its non-conference football opener. The night started out perfectly for the visitors as Jamie Dove capped a scoring...

Rosewood's offense was clicking, its new uniforms looked sharp and at halftime everything seemed to be under control. Then Wake Christian woke up. The Bulldogs took a 15-14 lead near the end of the third quarter, but the Eagles used...

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek battled for four quarters and held its own with perennial power South Lenoir before falling 28-13 in its season opener at "The Swamp." A pair of fumbles cost the Gators two potential early-scoring drives and...

WINTERVILLE -- South Central pushed the ball up and down the field with a methodical ground game en route to a 34-7 win over Greene Central on Friday night. Emontre McNeil paced the Falcons with 184 yards and three touchdowns....

CALYPSO -- North Duplin was shorthanded. And it showed on Friday night. Missing four offensive starters for a variety of reasons, the Rebels were beaten 22-0 by Chocowinity Southside at H.E. Grubbs Field. "Tonight we were fighting the numbers a...

WILMINGTON -- Expect Goldsboro to concentrate on pass coverage this week in practice. New Hanover quarterback Taylor Bates threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-6, season-opening victory over the Cougars at Jurgensen-Gabriel Field inside Legion Stadium on...

PRINCETON -- Princeton tallied just 115 yards of offense and Hobbton scored 21 points in the second quarter on its way to a 41-0 victory on Friday night. Adrian Joyner had the Bulldawgs' three rushing attempts of the game for...

WARSAW -- James Kenan made a key defensive stand and quarterback Parker Jones scored with fewer than 60 seconds left in a 28-25, season-opening comeback win at Bill Taylor Field on Friday night. The Tigers' defense stopped the Dark Horses...

A good, early-season test. State-ranked Eastern Wayne took preseason Big East favorite Nash Central to the limit in a 5-4, non-conference girls' tennis loss on a humid Friday afternoon. "This was a great match for the beginning of the...

LaGRANGE -- North Lenoir took an early 7-0 lead, but East Duplin scored 63 unanswered points in the Hawks' season-opening, 63-7 loss on Friday night. Tyler Clark's 44-yard fumble return for a touchdown and Caleb Baird's extra point gave North...

BUNN -- Bunn broke a 13-13 tie with a fourth-quarter touchdown and held off Charles B. Aycock for a 21-13, non-conference victory on Friday night. A.J. Mundle's 37-yard touchdown pass from Golden Falcons' quarterback Tyler Farmer in the third quarter...

Are you ready for some football? Opening day is finally here. All 11 teams in the News-Argus readership area kick off their respective 2010 campaigns this evening. Six teams are at home, while five will travel in various directions. *...

PIKEVILLE -- Michael Fearney patiently watched his older teammates, soaked it all in and knew his time would come. Bounced between Charles B. Aycock's varsity and junior varsity soccer squads as a junior last season, Fearney is quickly proving his...

MOUNT OLIVE -- Virginia prep standouts Joneiqua Gary and Jasmine McDonald have signed national letters-of-intent to play women's basketball at Mount Olive College. A 5-foot-7 guard, Gary helped lead Booker T. Washington to the district championship before falling to...

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Coming off a disappointing inaugural season at Eastern Wayne, head football coach Guy "Bubba" Williams has lofty goals for his second year. And he is not about to concede anything. "We are going to get better every day," said Williams....

Eric Reid is great proof that author Thomas Wolfe was wrong. You can go home again. And succeed. The Goldsboro High alum enjoyed his most-successful season on the sidelines in 2009. The Cougars claimed the Carolina 1-A Conference championship and...

The line between finishing a football season 9-2 as opposed to 3-8 can be fine, often painful and incredibly motivating. Six of Greene Central's eight losses during the 2009 campaign came by 15 points or fewer. Red zone turnovers, costly...

Greg Warren's anticipation is comparable to a child on Christmas morning. He returns to the Pittsburgh Steelers lineup this season after a pair of devastating knee injuries cost him the better part of two seasons. "I am really excited and...

The days of eating comfortably from past successes lapsed a little bit for James Kenan football fans last season. The Tigers played for the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-AA championship in 2006 and won it all in 2007....

Calvin Sutton anticipated his first year as head football coach at his alma mater to be a challenge. What Sutton didn't expect was injuries, academic issues, countless untimely turnovers, five losses by 45 or more points and a 2-9 season....

Freddie Jones and Craig Murdock are so alike and yet so different. Jones is Goldsboro High School's prized running back and linebacker with a chiseled physique, a bruising running style and a demeanor his teammates can't help but follow. Murdock...

Every proposal has its flaw, but the "pod" football playoff system offered by the N.C. High School Athletic Association might turn into a resounding touchdown this season. At least for 1-A schools. The economic downturn that started in 2007 forced...

There is a lot of buzz growing around the Rosewood High School football program. And it's not just about the team's sharp new game uniforms. A crop of 43 players will be donning the Eagles' customary purple and gold when...

Princeton could deliver a surprise upset this season -- only because so little might be required of the Bulldawgs in 2010. Sixteen seniors, including a record-setting quarterback and receiver, helped lead the program to its most-successful campaign since the 1970s...

Bob Warren is not the kind of guy who is going to tip his hand in the preseason. In fact, he usually doesn't say much at all. But when the longtime Southern Wayne High School head coach was asked about...

In 2009, the Carolina 1-A Conference title basically came down to two teams -- eventual champ Goldsboro and surprising Princeton. The six-team league could be more topsy-turvy this season. Exactly where does Spring Creek factor into the hunt? "I think...

During its stretch of back-to-back seasons with deep playoff runs in 2006 and 2007, North Duplin developed a tradition of consistency. The Rebels possessed an offense that dominated time of possession, a stingy hard-nosed defense and reliable special teams. Those...

SNOW HILL -- Stuffing puffs out the side. Tape covers holes from wear and tear. Paint and rust chips are mixed in the dirt where grass is worn down from daily use on hot summer afternoons. Yep, that rusty 'ole...

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock recovered from a disappointing season-opening loss to Princeton on Tuesday and rallied to beat county foe Goldsboro 25-16, 25-16, 25-16 on Wednesday night. The veteran Golden Falcon squad led throughout the opening set as Madison...

Jenieri Cyrus' road to Division I basketball was not the traditional high school to college path. The former Eastern Wayne standout made a stop at Charis Prep in 2009. That extra year of exposure helped him land an offer from...

While its Southeastern Conference neighbors continue to win national championships and dominate recruiting, the Atlantic Coast Conference manages to fly relatively under the college football radar. The SEC has won six of the past 12 national championships, including the last...

Tyler Farmer was a relatively unknown first-year starting quarterback hoping to establish confidence and respect on the varsity level in 2009. Twelve months later, Farmer's not only been handed the keys to Charles B. Aycock's more pass-oriented offense, but to...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Play Charger ball. Finish the point. Wayne Country Day executed those two commands from head coach Juliet Jones at the right time, and upended county rival Wayne Christian 25-15, 22-25, 26-24, 25-21 inside a sweltering Clifford Gymnatorium on Tuesday afternoon....

Demetrio Irby was not planning on playing basketball in college. When Jeremy Currier took over the reigns of the men's basketball program at Pfeiffer University, Irby's plans changed. "I originally picked Pfeiffer because that is where I wanted to go...

The Goldsboro Cougars, for the second consecutive year, will wear the bullseye in the Carolina 1-A Conference football ranks. The defending league champions garnered five first-place votes and 25 total points in the annual preseason coaches poll. The results are...

Wayne Christian survived a stagnant first half and tallied two late goals en route to a 2-1 victory over county rival Wayne Country Day on Tuesday. Neither team could get any offense going during the first 40 minutes. Scorching temperatures...

Soccer Charles B. Aycock 2, South Granville 0 * Travis Musselman got the Golden Falcons on the board in the 21st minute. Tyler Lynch extended the lead in the 73rd minute. Aycock outshot South Granville 13-2 and held a 7-2...

PIKEVILLE -- Bus rides or new teammates? Classes, exams and dorms or the family business? Connor Narron is keeping it in the family. The Charles B. Aycock graduate and University of North Carolina recruit signed a contract with the Baltimore...

Boys' soccer * North Johnston 7, Goldsboro 0 -- The Cougars opened their 2010 season with road loss on Monday afternoon. "I'm very proud of my team," said second-year Goldsboro coach Tyler Gatlin. "We had no subs. I thought my...

Sunday, August 15, 2010

LaGRANGE -- Maurice Morgan is one of the quietest kids on the North Lenoir High School football team. He lets his game do all the talking. A varsity standout heading into his senior season with the Hawks, Morgan drew interest...

Friday, August 13, 2010

CLAYTON -- "Competitive and balanced" was the catch phrase buzzing throughout the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference preseason football rouser Thursday morning at Cleveland High School. The six head coaches all agreed last year's inexperienced teams gained some ground this season...

TARBORO -- Teams from the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference certainly won't sneak up on anyone this season. In 2009, three league members -- Tarboro, Kinston and SouthWest Edgecombe -- advanced to either the semifinal or championship round in regional competition....

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

PRINCETON -- Russell Williamson looked over the field as his team took part in special teams practice on Tuesday morning and saw a wealth of potential. What the long time head coach at Princeton High School did not see was...

LaGRANGE -- Calvin Sutton isn't just trying to build a quality football program at North Lenoir High School. He is desperately trying to change the culture. Sutton's charismatic delivery has won over the players in Wheat Swamp and the Hawks...

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

CALYPSO -- North Duplin returns a core group of players who either started or played part-time during the 2009 season. Hugh Martin says that's a good starting point. Just 29 players have suited up during the first seven days of...

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Keith gets an ace Willie Keith recorded his first-ever hole-in-one while playing a round of golf Saturday at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course. Keith used a 7-wood to hole out on the par-3, No. 7 layout. Playing partners Earl Hawkins, Chuck...

GREENVILLE -- A new era begins. Welcome home, Ruffin McNeill. The latest East Carolina skipper could hardly contain his excitement during the Pirates' annual media day Saturday afternoon. McNeill said the team will need to determine its personality and brand...

Jay Carmine and Emily Price emerged the top male and female champions, respectively, in the overall division during the 25th annual Goldsboro Family Y Triathlon contested at Walnut Creek. Carmine, from Leland, logged a first-place time of 1 hour,...

Friday, August 6, 2010

Robert Britt had mercy on his weary football team Thursday. After three days of conditioning in the hot mid-day sun, the Rosewood Eagles' head coach let his guys leave the field after their workouts without running sprints. The 43 potential...

Eastern Wayne soccer players kick the ball around during a preseason workout Thursday evening in New Hope. The Warriors have seven starters back off last year's team, which advanced to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs....

Make a mark. Get better every day. Second-year Eastern Wayne head football coach Guy "Bubba" Williams delivers those messages on a daily basis to his 16-member senior class. They've become more prevalent this week. "I've told them they have to...

Short on depth but deep on talent makes this season's Heisman Trophy race a wide-open candidacy. Alabama tailback Mark Ingram was on nobody's Heisman list at the start of the 2009 season. Ingram silenced doubters by rushing for 1,658 yards...

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Ahead of the original schedule. A different atmosphere. More than 70 players have reported for varsity and junior varsity football practice at Goldsboro High during the first three days this week. And fourth-year head coach Eric Reid couldn't be more...

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- A nine-member freshman class will join the Mount Olive College women's volleyball program later this month. Third-year head coach Cole Tallman received national letters-of-intent from players in five states and two countries. The newest...

Goldsboro High head volleyball coach T.J. Lancaster (brown shirt) works with players during a hitting drill inside Norvell T. Lee Gymnasium on Wednesday afternoon. Lancaster has 27 girls vying for spots on the JV and varsity teams this season....

Goldsboro High football players work through a drill that teaches them to keep low while blocking on the offensive and defensive lines during Wednesday's practice. The Cougars return 18 starters off last year's team that reached the NCHSAA 1-A eastern...

Golden Falcon players work on their foot skills during the early part of Tuesday afternoon's practice in Pikeville. Seven starters return for Aycock, which claimed an unprecedented fifth consecutive Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference men's soccer tournament championship last season....

PIKEVILLE -- Whistles blew, instructions were shouted and footballs flew through the air. Following a 10-3 season and a trip to the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs a year ago, Charles B. Aycock is...

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Benny Benton has come home. The former Mount Olive College sports information director has been named the school's new assistant SID. Benton begins his duties Aug. 9. Prior to his first stint at MOC,...

SEVEN SPRINGS-- With experience comes wisdom. Aaron Sanders is the perfect example. Entering his third campaign as the head football coach at Spring Creek, Sanders feels more comfortable with his position and more confident in the moves that have to...

Monday, August 2, 2010

DUDLEY -- The tradition continues. And the late-summer ritual -- high school football -- has officially started. Southern Wayne ushered in the 2010 season with its annual Midnight Madness practice around 12:30 this morning. Dressed in helmets, T-shirts and shorts,...

Sunday, August 1, 2010

A sleepy little town surrounded by sweet potato and tobacco fields in the heart of Greene County, you'd hardly think of Snow Hill as a "tennis mecca." Oh, but it is. And the nation certainly knows about it now. Based...

T.J. Smothers had to think he was reliving a scene from the hit movie "Forrest Gump" while thinking about this year's Wayne County Pirates 10-Under baseball team. "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going...

Disappointed that its 2009 season ended with a runner-up finish in the Amateur Athletic Union Class A World Series, the Wayne County Hurricanes 14-Under softball team vowed 2010 would end in different fashion. That stinging, season-ending defeat stoked the flames...

It has been seven months and 27 days since players at Goldsboro High School donned football attire and hit the gridiron. The Cougars and head coach Eric Reid are anxious to get back to business. "I'm excited and I know...